Give it a rest, please
CHRIS ROBSHAW does not want this season to stop but fears that future generations of players will be exhausted by rugby’s expansion.
The flanker returned a fortnight ago from 10 weeks off after shoulder surgery, which forced him to miss the Six Nations, and has two games to force his way into the Lions squad, which is named by Warren Gatland on April 19.
Robshaw steps out at Wembley today as Harlequins take on champions Saracens, then has a date with Exeter next Friday to make his case.
He is nowhere near burn-out after his enforced break but thinks plans for an 11-month season from 2020 could leave stars in pieces.
“I have only seen a brief outline but it looks pretty tough,” he said. “Burn-out will occur if you are going to be playing 11 months of the year.
“You look at the last World Cup year and how exhausted everyone was on the back of that. To do that every single year will take a lot out of the guys.
“If it’s going to be like that squads are going to have to be a lot bigger because you’re going to have to rotate a lot. You can’t ask guys to play more games. We’re playing the maximum games we can.
“As a player, you always want to play but every now and then you need it taken out of your hands, like when a coach says, ‘you’re being rested’.” Robshaw looked
better than ever in his first game back, a 53-17 win for Harlequins over Newcastle, which left his old boss Dean Richards saying that he is a must for the Lions.
Quins have been badly hit by injuries but their big names are returning and Robshaw believes the crowded casualty ward helped his rehabilitation.
“Luckily, not for Quins but for us injured lads, there were quite a few guys injured,” he said.
“Normally you’re doing weights on your own but there were groups of us so we had that camaraderie knowing that you’re all in similar times.
“When there are not a lot of boys about, you’re in the gym on your own, you’re running up and down on your own and you’re completely isolated – it’s pretty tough.”
Quins make one change from the win over Newcastle, with Jack Clifford coming into the back row and Dave Ward on the bench.
Saracens, who are expecting an attendance of more than 80,000, make four changes to the side that crushed Glasgow in the Champions Cup last Sunday.
Prop Vincent Koch and hooker Schalk Brits come into the front row, with Jamie George in the replacements and scrum-half Ben Spencer and centre Duncan Taylor named in the backs.
Another bumper crowd is expected to see Bath take on Leicester at Twickenham in a match that sees George Ford line up against the club he will rejoin next season.
Lock Charlie Ewels, a potential England tourist to Argentina this summer, makes his 50th appearance for Bath, while Leicester have Australian Matt O’Connor back in charge after the sacking of Richard Cockerill.
At Sandy Park, secondplaced Exeter have been warned not to take their foot off the gas against Bristol with four rounds of Premiership matches left. Director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “Four lots of 80 minutes is not a great deal in the course of your lives, it’s not even a day’s work, so we have to approach it that we give it our all.” Bristol have Gavin Henson back from a toe injury. ❑Saracens v Harlequins is live on BT Sport from 4.30pm, while Bath v Leicester is live from 2pm.